2012

AILA calls on President Obama to fulfill his promise and move forward on bipartisan immigration reform that will improve the economy, reflects our country’s values and interests, and builds on America’s history as a nation of immigrants.

AILA is proud to be part of the national effort to launch a website which is designed to help immigrants brought to this country as children understand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative.

AILA applauds USCIS for its on-time implementation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative announced by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano on June 15, 2012.

Two new languages, Chinese and Polish, have been added to StopNotarioFraud.org, AILA’s consumer protection resource dedicated to combating the unscrupulous exploitation of immigrants in need of legal counsel.

At a hearing called by the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement, Laura Lichter, President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), offered testimony on the importance of ending fraud by immigration practitioners.

AILA is encouraged by the Supreme Court's decision to strike down three out of four of the challenged provisions of SB1070. However, the racial profiling provision remains, requiring local police to verify immigration status.

At its 56th Annual Conference, AILA announced the election results for the 2012-2013 Executive Committee. Ms. Laura Lichter was installed as the new AILA President during a morning session of the conference.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will award Linda Rose with the 2012 Susan D. Quarles AILA Service Excellence Award in recognition of her outstanding service, over a period of years, in advancing the mission, development, and value of AILA.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will posthumously recognize Matthew Baxter with the 2012 Sam Williamson Mentor Award to acknowledge his extraordinary mentoring, generosity, and earnest desire to help other immigration attorneys.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will award Sui Chung, an attorney with Immigration Law & Litigation Group, with the 2012 Michael Maggio Memorial Pro Bono Award for her outstanding efforts in providing pro bono representation in the immigration field.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will award José Díaz-Balart, a journalist and anchor for Telemundo, with the 2012 Media Leadership Award in recognition of the individual whose efforts in the media most accurately depict immigration and immigrants.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will award Olsi Vrapi, a partner with Noble & Vrapi, P.A. in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with the 2012 Joseph Minsky Young Lawyer Award for his outstanding contributions in the field of immigration and nationality law.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will award Mark C. Fleming, an attorney with Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, Boston MA, with the Jack Wasserman Memorial Award for excellence in litigation in the field of immigration law.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will award Vanessa Merton, a Professor of Law at Pace University School of Law, with the 2012 Elmer Fried Excellence in Teaching Award for outstanding professors in the area of immigration law.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will award David Leopold, founder of David Wolfe Leopold & Associates, with the 2012 Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award for excellence in advancing the practice of immigration law.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will award Representative Judy Chu (D, CA) with the 2012 Congressional Leadership Award, which is given annually to members of Congress who most advanced the cause of immigration and immigrants during the previous year.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) awarded Meredith Linsky, Director of the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR), with the 2012 Arthur C. Helton Human Rights Award for her outstanding service in advancing the cause of human rights.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will award Azadeh Shahshahani with the 2012 Advocacy Award for her tireless work in combating the anti-immigration bills and policies in Georgia and her commitment to the human rights issues of immigrants.

Eleanor Pelta, President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), commented on today’s announcement from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that the cap of 65,000 H-1B petitions has been reached for FY2013.

AILA is excited to host its 56th Annual Conference in Nashville, TN, from Wednesday, June 13th to Saturday, June 16th. Approximately 2,500 immigration experts will convene for educational sessions, networking, and special events.

AILA statement calls attention to new information showing implementation of prosecutorial discretion by Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) officers, agents, and attorneys has been far less effective than the public was originally led to expect.

New regulations issued by DOJ exclude immigrants in DHS facilities from the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). AILA believes this was a missed opportunity to protect the estimated 400,000 individuals held in immigration detention facilities each year.

AILA commends Congressman Mike Thompson's bill, the "Support and Defend Our Military Personnel and their Families Act" for the relief it could offer potentially tens of thousands of our military servicemen and women and their families who may have immigration-related issues.

AILA will sponsor the 6th annual Citizenship Day on Saturday, April 21, 2012. This is a one-day, nationwide event to provide free or low-cost assistance to thousands of immigrants who wish to finalize their status to become American citizens.

AILA welcomes the proposed rule change from DHS that will allow the spouses and children of U.S. citizens to remain in the U.S. with their families while applying for a waiver. This will keep families together safely and legally during the process.

AILA is troubled by the premise of the House Subcommittee on Immigration's hearing entitled "Holiday on ICE." The immigration detention system is plagued with problems, yet this hearing implies that immigrant detention is a vacation.